Akhilesh Yadav made terrorist friends for vote bank politics, says JP Nadda

In a scathing attack at Samajwadi Party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on Saturday said that SP leaders are associated with the terrorists, adding that even Akhilesh Yadav made terrorist friends for vote bank politics.

Addressing an election rally in Sant Kabir Nagar, Nadda said, "In the Ahmedabad bomb blasts case, 38 people have been sentenced to death. There is a person named Mohammad Saif, whose father is the leader of SP. There are pictures of him hugging Akhilesh Yadav. The word 'gunda' is too mild for SP people. The SP leaders are associated with the terrorists," he said.

The BJP president said that 200 riots happened under SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's regime in Uttar Pradesh while not a single riot happened in the last five years of Yogi Adityanath.

"My allegation is that the Samajwadi Party has links with terrorists. It is my allegation that the leaders of the Samajwadi Party give protection to the goons. 200 riots took place in Uttar Pradesh under Akhilesh's rule and not a single riot happened in Uttar Pradesh in five years of Yogi," he said.

He further said that the Akhilesh Yadav made terrorist friends for vote bank politics.

"Akhilesh had withdrawn the cases against the accused of bomb blasts as Chief Minister. By these actions of the leader, his intentions are understood. He also made terrorist friends for vote bank politics. If the rule of law is to be maintained in Uttar Pradesh, then it is necessary to make Akhilesh sit at home," said the BJP leader.

Recalling the work done by the BJP government in the state, Nadda said that earlier many children died due to Japanese fever but today the death has been reduced by 95 per cent.

"Before 2015, many children died due to Japanese fever in Gorakhpur and the surrounding area. There was no system of treatment then. We opened special testing labs in Gorakhpur Medical College, super-specialty blocks there. Also, we have opened AIIMS in Gorakhpur. Today, the death toll of children from Japanese fever has been reduced by 95 per cent," he said.

Nadda said that earlier Uttar Pradesh was known as Bimaru (to refer to the adverse social and economic conditions) State but today the state is at number two in terms of economic sector.

"Today everyone wants to come and set up a factory in Uttar Pradesh. All this has happened because Yogi has eliminated mafia raj and goonda raj from Uttar Pradesh," he added.

He further promised to build medical colleges in every district of the state including one in Sant Kabir Nagar.

Nadda said that till 2014 there were 15 medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh and today there are 59 medical colleges.

"When PM Modi opened Jan Dhan accounts for the poor, Akhilesh used to make fun of it. Akhilesh, what will you know about the bank accounts of the poor! Your account is somewhere else. Your accounts are in international banks, what's your connection with the country. Our party has taken the responsibility of providing strength to the villages, poor, deprived, exploited, victim, mother power, youth power, farmers," said the BJP chief.

He asked people to remember the work of the party and also to parties who opposed the good work at the time of election.

"Samajwadi Party opened fire on Ram devotees and the Congress had always postponed and diverted the Ram temple issue," he added.

He said that BJP has also taught Akhilesh Yadav to talk about development because all his life he did some other work, now under compulsion he has to talk about development.

"The results of the election and the spirit of the election are decided on the strength of the party and the courage of the leaders. The strength with which our leaders were counting their work now, no other party leader can do this," he added.

The fifth phase, which is scheduled on February 27, will majorly cover the eastern region.

In the fifth phase of the UP Assembly elections, voting will be held in 61 seats across 12 districts. It includes Amethi, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Sultanpur, Chitrakoot, Barabanki, Ayodhya, Bahraich, Shravasti and Gonda.

The remaining two phases will take place on March 3 and March 6. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.